Impact Ministries

Reaching out to our community and to the world ...

Outreach

CPC has events throughout the year designed to reach out to our local community. These include our sports ministry, special needs ministries and one-on-one counseling ministry. We also have teams of volunteers who help provide and prepare breakfast on Sunday mornings at Grace and Peace Women's shelter.

Mercy

The deacons collect and give financial support to many whom have special needs with which we can help. The first Sunday of each month collection is made for this mission and mercy fund.

Missions

We are called to support missions. We do this by supporting missionaries and various mission and relief agencies in West County, St. Louis, North America, and the International community. We also send many people on short-term missions trips throughout the year.

New City Fellowship, St. Louis, Missouri -- joining with our sister church to tutor children and help with community service projects throughout the year.
Grace Presbyterian Church, St. Charles, Missouri -- partnering with a church plant in St. Charles, Missouri. We are supporting the growth of this new congregation.
Chicago Church, Illinois -- partnering with an African American church plant in Chicago. We are praying and participating in this new, exciting ministry.
San Miguel, Mexico -- yearly trips to assist in church construction and Vacation Bible School programs as we come along side them in ministry.

volunteers from men's retreat help renovate a basement

Where can I help each month?

January: Bethany Christian Services Adoption Agency
Celebrate pro-life month by donating baby supplies such as new bottles, pacifiers, sleepers, diaper rash ointments, diapers, and wipes.
February: Kenya Missions
Support international mission giving opportunities in Kenya.
March: Harambee Urban Work Program
Monetary donations are welcome to help provide mortar, scaffolding, grinders, and other materials for the St. Louis youth work program.
April: Pregnancy Resource Center
Please bring in baby supplies such as diapers, car seats, strollers, onesies, and financial donations to help cover the cost of programs and classes.
May: Sunshine Mission
Please bring in dry goods, personal hygiene items, and cleaning supplies.
June: Support our Troops
Show your support for deployed military troops by bringing in supplies for soldier care packages. A shopping list of needed items will be available on the Impact table.
July: Rainbow Network
Rainbow Network is a Christian ministry dedicated to helping Nicaragua's poorest through healthcare, economic development, education, and housing. Provide for the children of Nicaragua through our 'Christmas in July' campaign.
August: Freedom School
Please donate school supplies (construction paper, markers, folders, scissors, 3x5 note cards, pencil boxes, tempera paint and brushes, colored pencils)
September: Donate Winter Coats
Donate your new or used coats for those in need this winter.
October: Grace and Peace Women's Shelter
Provide for homeless women in St. Louis by bringing in washable pillows, towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste & other toiletries.
November: New City Free Store
Please bring in rice, pasta sauce, canned meat, jelly, cereal, soup, toothpaste, toilet paper, canned fruit and vegetables, & soup.
December: Mission Gate
Please donate Christmas gifts for children with incarcerated parents.

Visit the Missouri Presbytery MTW Committee web site.

Hurricane and Disaster Response Effort

Mission to North America has new new Hurricane Relief, Recovery and Resettlement web site up and running. Go to www.pcarelief.org to indicate availability to help with hurricane relief and recovery. To get involved with the CPC Disaster Relief Ministry contact Mark Epps at 636.527.6732 or DisasterRelief@chespres.org.
Learn more about the CPC Disaster Response Ministry.

Makuku Updates

Update #1, January 3:

Greetings,

I know that many of you have heard of the turmoil that is happening in Kenya. So many of you have served there and love the people dearly. I wanted to give you a brief update on the Makukus and the church and also give you some ways that you can pray.

I talked with Martha twice since the violence erupted. They are safe, but heartbroken over the destruction and death. Most of the violence that has occurred in Kibera has been on the opposite side of Kibera from where the church is located. The church at this time has not been harmed and they are housing 23 displaced children in the church building. There is a family living in the church building and they are providing food and protection for the children. Martha and Imbumi have not actually been in Kibera but have been in communication with them. Karen, where Martha and Imbumi live and where teams are normally housed, is safe and seems to be going on as normal.

As you may have heard on the news there are several people that are coming to help with mediation between the two parties. Desmond Tutu from S. Africa arrived today and has met with President Kibaki and is attempting to meet with the other presidential candidate as soon as he is in agreement. Odiaga (the other candidate) had planned a million people march today but it was squelched by the police but he has threatened to attempt another one next Tuesday.

Please pray:

For protection for those that we all know and love
That the Holy Spirit would intervene and bring peace to the country
For the children in the church, that they would be safe and soon able to return to their home
For the Makukus that God would protect them and give them peace during this time.
We do have a church team there now and they are scheduled to leave Friday, please be in prayer for their safety and that they are able to get out with no problems

Thanks for all of your love, prayers and concern and if you have any questions do not hesitate to call me. I am calling Martha every 2-3 days to check on them and will send future updates as I hear more.

God bless,
Opal

Update #2, January 7:

Greetings,

Thank you all who have written with your acknowledgement of prayers. I spoke with Martha yesterday and she said that things seemed to be a little calmer in Nairobi today. However, there are plans for another protest march this week. According to the news it appears the two sides may begin to have some talks through mediation.

Imbumi went to Kibera Church today and had service. Martha stayed home with the boys. She said that they had a good service and the people there were all okay. They continue to house the 23 children in the church and they have been safe and well taken care of. I told her of everyone's response to the last update and assured her that many people were praying for them, for their safety as well as for the country of Kenya. She was so touched and appreciative.

For those of you who know the 3 Sudanese boys, John, Benjamin and Karbino Imbumi was able to contact them today and found out they are okay. Their house had been ransacked and Karbino was stoned in the leg. They are all okay now but staying close to home. Please pray for them as well.

Prayer:

Continue to pray for Martha and Imbumi and the boys: for their safety as well as rest during this turbulent time.
For the country of Kenya. In our conversation today, Martha said it was strange to be a refugee, this is so difficult for them, as they have cared for many refugees and now they are fleeing.
Continue to pray for the Kibera church and the people there.
Also pray that the Holy Spirit would move in the lives of the leaders there and that this would soon be resolved.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and love for the dear ones of Kenya. I will send an update when I talk with Martha again.

God bless,
Opal

Kibera, Kenya Trip 2007

At the beginning of August, I had the opportunity to travel to Kenya to participate in a ten day mission trip. There were a total of 15 of us from CPC who spent a week together serving at a church in Naibobi.

The church is located in the midst of a slum area called Kibera. Many have said that these slums are the worst in the world. There are over a million people living in a 2 ½ mile square area. They live in terrible living conditions – no running water, no sanitation and no permanent structures. As in most part of Africa, many in Kibera are suffering the effects of HIV and other diseases that leave many children orphaned at a young age. It's uncommon for people to live beyond 50.

Our main focus during our time in Kenya was to lead a student conference sponsored by the church in the slums. We had over 80 students for 5 days. We taught from the bible, worshipped together and had the opportunity to share in small groups with them.

We also were able go into the "homes" of people near the church. We met a woman named Rose who is dying of AIDS. She was bed ridden and confined to a 8 by 8 room with no windows and a dirt floor. The church reached out to her and shared the hope of the Gospel with her. She is now able to get out of bed and the church is helping her to find schooling and assistance for her two children. What a joy it was to see the church active in the community and truly impacting lives and offering the hope of the Gospel.

We saw so many contrasts in Kibera. While the needs are incredible and the suffering unspeakable – there was also a joy and a hope in the lives of many. Our partnership with the church in the slums reminded us that our only hope is found in Christ. Although we come from a very different place where we have such great abundance, we are still the same. We are people who need forgiveness, hope, relationships, meaning and ultimately a Savior.

The brokenness that we witnessed in the slums was at times overwhelming. We wept several times as we left the slums and as we saw such horrible living conditions the people faced. However, in some ways to see their life and faith was refreshing. To be with people – especially young people, who lived in such brokenness and hopelessness, and yet find their only hope in Christ was refreshing and encouraging. They don't have the myriad of distractions that we have in our culture which can numb us to our greatest needs.

We were reminded that as Christians we are called to care for others. The bible tells us to be redeemers to bring healing – both spiritual and physical to those in need. Kenya (and America) need the redeeming power of God and need Christians to be active in caring for those around us.

This trip took us out of the comfort of our suburban world. It challenged us to ask the question of whether we truly have the heart of Christ. Do we care for those across the world? Are we more concerned with the comforts we enjoy or are we willing to pray, share and reach out to those in need?

What a privilege it was see God at work in this place on the other side of the world.

Owen Tarantino

Missions Prayer Requests

Updated: November 12, 2007

Belgorod-Dnestrovsky Christian Clinic: Ukraine
"Work done by our church members, friends and the team along with financial gifts of believers in Belgorod and the US in the past few months have made a big difference at the church building. So much so that the church plans to hold its first worship service in the new location on November 25. As you celebrate Thanksgiving, join us in thanking the Lord for bringing us to this point. There is still work to be done -- finishing nursery rooms, Sunday school rooms, a youth room, a kitchen/fellowship area and the outside landscaping. The estimated cost for completing the building is $50,000. Prices are rising dramatically in Ukraine for almost everything, including building materials and labor. We pray that the building will be completed in the coming year. There is also still much work that needs to be done in building up mature members as well as reaching out to the community. We need the Lord!

Prayer Requests: Pray for the clinic as the church moves out, leaving space that can be used in new ways -- that we will seek His wisdom in planning this and other necessary repairs to the building. Please pray for an ophthalmologist. Pray for the necessary approval of documents by various government agencies for the container of humanitarian aid that arrived in late September. Pray that it will soon be completed and that the distribution of the container's contents will be a blessing to many. Financial gifts for the church building: Account #095978. Financial gifts for the clinic: #095983"
John and Cathy Rug: Chile
"We praise the Lord for this past Lord's Day and the events leading up to it. Our membership courses at Grace and Peace Church culminated in a retreat on Sunday in which we share the purpose, vision and values of our new congregation. We received 12 members, 3 of whom are blind, 2 more have disabilities, baptized 3 adults and one covenant child…and celebrated the Lord's Supper for the first time as a new church plant. There were 54 people present. We are especially pleased that 21 of them were first-time visitors. Nearly half of them were invited by Carmen Gloria, a blind lady who received Christ here at CEMIPRE (the ministry center for those with disabilities) who was among those who joined the church."

Prayer Requests: Intercede that we may find more churches and individuals interested in partnering with us in the ministry the Lord is entrusting to us. Remember our new members in your prayers as well as visitors at church. We are convinced that membership is a mere beginning, that it must be dynamic and result in mature Christians with ministries, missions and servant heart.
Gary and Phyllis Waldecker: South America
"The training event in Monterrey went very well. A regional vision seems to be emerging. We will repeat this event in March for those who didn't attend this one. The next meeting will be held in Chile. Pray that Gary's three seminars at the MTW Global Missions Conference will prove to be helpful. Pray that Gary will be able to collect the necessary data, analyze it, and finish the dissertation soon. We are planning to return to the field next summer. Our support account is in need of 670 dollars more per month. Pray for the Resource Team, of which Gary is the leader. Pray that our new members -- Tom Houston and Jim DeWitt -- will be able to raise their support quickly. Pray for Oscar and Lolo who are being trained for the pastorate in Santiago, Chile. Pray for Rodney Davila as he invests in them."

Sponsor a Child through Rainbow Network

CPC Supports Rainbow Network, a Christian ministry dedicated to sharing the love of Jesus Christ with Nicaragua's poorest people through healthcare, economic development, education, and housing. The students pictured below are available for individual sponsorship by contacting Kristin McCombe at the CPC office via e-mail, or phone (636)394-3337. You can also learn more about Rainbow Network on their website at www.rainbownetwork.org.

2007 Rainbow Network Toy Drive Information (Adobe PDF format)